Since the 1960’s when the Thule Company decided to focus their business on automobile related products, and the first roof rack was developed, they strive to be at the forefront of roof rack innovation in terms of quality, and ease of use. The continuation of this tradition will be seen as clearly as ever in the upcoming release of their, New for 2009, Traverse Gutter-less mount Foot Pack System. (as seen on the Subaru WRX seen below)

Not since the development of the original Thule 400 foot pack in 1987 have we seen such a radical overhaul of Thule’s approach to mounting a roof rack system to a vehicle without rain gutters, in terms of safety, aesthetics, & ease of use. For those familiar with the 400(xt) foot pack system, most likely the most noticeable difference is the style of outer cover which protects the inter-workings of the foot pack, as well as allows the foot pack to integrate seamlessly with any vehicles roof line. The 480 Traverse system comes as a set of (4) feet and it requires the use of Traverse Fit Kits (sold separately) and pair of Thule square load bars (sold separately).

Traverse Fit Kits will be available for use with the Thule 480 Traverse, each Fit Kit designed specifically for use on specific vehicle, for a truly wide range of vehicles. Some fits that would not have been available with the 400(xt) system. The 480 Traverse Foot Pack and Fit Kit bracket combination will deliver the strongest hold, safest fit and easiest installation for total roof rack peace of mind. The 480’s MaxClamp Technology delivers a more stable system than any competitors current application, and it’s EZ Assemble Design uses 50% fewer parts and requires half the time to install.

Similar to the 400(xt) system, the Traverse’s Fit kit comes with a set of (4) pads and (4) clips that, as shown below, go together as easily as a seat belt. The amount of time this saves in terms of installation is staggering!



One of the most revolutionary design features of the 480 Traverse is the AccuTight Tightening Tool which automatically indicates when the car rack is safely and properly attached to vehicle, assuring the safest install on all styles of vehicles. This replaces the 400(xt)’s more traditional Handle assembly, which leaves itself able to be overtightened, and or tightened too much or too little on one or both sides of the bar. In addition to this marvelous development, the crack engineering team over at Thule has designed the foot pack in a way that you are able to store the AccuTight tools within the towers when not in use.



The Traverse is compatible with Locks and Load Bars that you may have from a previous system. Meaning, that although the design of the Foot Pack and Fit Kits has changed enough that previous models are not compatible, the locks and bars that you have from a previous system may be reusable. As always, if you do not have Locks from a previous application, we highly recommend a (4)pack of Locks to secure the system to your vehicle.
If you are interested in additional information about the 480 Traverse or any other Roof Rack system, please feel free to consult one of our highly knowledgeable Rack Experts by calling (888)399RACK (7225). Otherwise you can email us with any questions….Well…as long as they are pertaining to Racks.
- Rack Attack Boston – (888)399RACK






















This system will allow the mounting of most every Thule or Yakima accessory, such as 










